Movie Night
by mandaree1
Summary: It's hard to begin the healing process when the wounded don't realize they're bleeding. Or, more accurately; don't want to admit to it.


**Disclaimer: I don't own Steven Universe!**

 **Title: Movie Night**

 **Summary: It's hard to begin the healing process when the wounded don't realize they're bleeding. Or, more accurately, don't want to admit to it.**

 **...**

Looking back on it now, there's a level of familiarity in how Steven and Amethyst touch that bespoke fusion. A platonic confidence in the other that stated they knew the other wouldn't push them away from discomfort, only for personal reason, as discomfort wasn't nearly as real. Garnet and Pearl felt a bit silly for not noticing sooner as the boy grazed the plane on the top of her arm with his fingers to ensure he had Amethyst's attention.

"We did it!"

Amethyst smiled. It was all chubby cheeks and big teeth. "Heck yeah we did!"

A heartbeat of shame filled Pearl and Garnet both, but Amethyst and Steven didn't hesitate. The past was well behind them, although the shame lingered in their postures, the slightest hunch to their shoulders.

"Are you okay?" Steven asked, brow drawn in concern.

"'M just a little tired, dude." She shrugged. "You know how it is."

"It's been a long week." Garnet hums. "You both must be exhausted. Steven especially."

Steven and Amethyst froze. Steven's eyes darted to meet her's, then back to Garnet. His mouth dipped downwards into the living rendition of a sideways I before lifting back up. It only lasted about a second.

"I'm okay, Garnet." Steven said. "We wouldn't have done this if I wasn't ready."

"I _tried_ to get him to wait." Amethyst crossed her arms, eyes rolling. "But he insisted."

She shot Pearl a look, as though in fear of overstepping some sort of parental boundaries and expecting reproach. The woman put a fluttering hand on her shoulder and squeezed.

"Well, Steven knows his limits better than we do." She admitted. "It's best to take his word."

"Alright, that tears it." Garnet settled her hands on her hips. "We need a movie night."

"That depends. You up to it, dude?"

"Hey!" Steven glared, personally insulted. "I think you know very well I am!"

"I gotta ask." Amethyst stretched lazily, throwing herself onto the couch. "Whelp. Ya'll don't need me, so I'mma take a nap."

"Or, you can come with me to the store." Garnet tapped her side, frowning. "We need popcorn."

"Aw, c'mon, G."

"Amethyst."

Amethyst breathed a long-suffering sigh and sat up, pouting. " _Fine_. You're no fun."

Pearl herded Steven into the kitchen, putting a pot of water on the stove to boil. The lean woman frowned as she flipped the package over in her hands, nose wrinkling.

"Honestly, we can always just make a cheese sauce ourselves. It's not hard."

"But I like the box kind." Steven's tongue poked out of his lips as he watched the water slowly come to a bubble. A simple level of patience shrouded him like a cloud. "Amethyst does too."

Pearl rolled her eyes, smiling in spite of herself. "Amethyst likes everything related to food. She'd eat the box if she could get her hands on it."

"Yeah." He agreed. "Probably."

Thin fingers gently wrapped around him. Pearl gave him a warm hug.

"I'm so proud of you." She sighed softly. "Are you excited?"

"You bet I am!" He flung his arms around her, giggling. Bubbles had begun to form on the bottom of the pot when they separated- a long time for humans, but only a second for gems.

"I never thought I'd be able to fuse with gems." He told her sheepishly. "But I'm really glad."

"So am I." The woman assured him. "Now, let's get those noodles in; before the water evaporates entirely."

They fell into a companionable silence. Pearl idly hummed a tune as she stirred; they took turns to move the softening macaroni noodles around so they didn't stick to the bottom, mumbling amused apologies when they bumped into each other.

"Has there been any negative side-effects?" She asked abruptly. "Fusing with Amethyst, I mean. Fatigue? Disorientation?"

"Huh?" Steven blinked at her owlishly. "No, not really. Amethyst is more exhausted than I am after fusing."

"I suppose that makes sense. Suddenly becoming partially human, even for a short time, must be... humbling."

"I don't think it is. Amethyst didn't act like it was, anyway."

"Yes, well." Pearl hesitated, shifting around unhappily. "You know how her ego is somewhat... lacking."

"Yeah. I don't really get why. Amethyst is awesome."

"Agreed."

They're rinsing the noodles when the other gems return. Garnet holds two boxes of popcorn above her head as Amethyst jokingly tries to grab at them.

"Save me some!" Steven cries.

"I will!" She promises, but her word seems shaky she shapeshifts into a hummingbird. A gauntlet bats her down.

"They're for Steven." Garnet says. "You'll get some after he's set."

"I don't mind, really."

" _I_ do. S'been a long week for you."

Nevertheless, Steven saves the spot next to him on the floor in front of the TV for Amethyst, and Garnet and Pearl climbed onto the bed behind them. Greg had volunteered to go out and buy a used set to replace the broken one, and Steven had carried it up for him with ease. He nestled into a purple arm as the first of many Lonely Blade movies began, a bowl of mac 'n cheese in his lap and popcorn bag in her's.

"We never _did_ find out what share characteristic Smoky had." Steven says, eyes glued to the screen, but his voice has faltered.

"Forget characteristics." Amethyst dismissed. "We still don't got a dance yet."

"I dunno. My dancing is great for me and Connie, but I'm not sure if it's fitting for a gem thing."

"Ditto. Club dancing ain't exactly for family, you know?"

"We're a family." Garnet chided calmly.

"Yeah, yeah." She waved it off. "But you're like a bajillion years older than me; not to mention you're both pretty, so that's cool if you're cool. Steven's, like, a baby."

"Maybe with less... shaking?"

She shrugged self-consciously. "Then it's not really _my_ dance. I can pull that off with Pearl, but that's _Pearl 'n me's_ dance."

"That's okay." Steven says. "I always feel weird dancing with you guys anyway."

"You just need more practice."

"Yeah, I know. I think hugging and high-five's will work for now."

Pearl cleared her throat, cheeks flushing. "We never did get around to apologizing."

Steven gifted her a quizzical look. "For what?"

"Stealin' your show." Garnet supplies, looking decidedly abashed. For Garnet, anyway.

"Oh, that. That wasn't a big deal. It's always nice to see Sardonyx."

"Sardonyx is a nice treat here and there, but it was Smoky's time to shine."

"Smoky didn't mind. Right, Amethyst?"

"Huh?" Her head popped up off the bed. "I dozed off."

"No, you didn't."

"Yes, I did."

"You just wanna avoid talking about Sardonyx. Well, too bad."

Amethyst stuck her tongue out at him.

"Back to the point; Smoky came with a yo-yo and nothing else. They didn't really mind getting up-staged."

"Well, duh." Amethyst chuckled, but it sounded slightly off-kilter. "What were they expecting? Sards coulda beat 'em with her pinkie finger."

"I don't know about _that_..." Pearl says, but seems flattered by their assumption anyway.

Garnet's lips are dipped in a fierce frown. "We're doing it again."

Pearl apologizes. There's a long bout of silence.

"What can I say, G?" Amethyst tries to smile, doesn't quite make it. "She's simply sucha _interesting_ topic."

"Smoky is neat, but..." Steven's voice dies.

"Not _that_ neat." Amethyst mutters.

"Yeah."

Pearl's brow knits. She threads her fingers through his hair. "I'm sorry."

" _We're_ sorry." Garnet reminds them.

"Don't be. I mean, yeah, it didn't help, but... it wasn't like it wasn't already there." He breathes, and he doesn't know if he's talking about Smoky, or themselves.

 **Author's Note: I wanted to mess around with the fact that Pearl and Garnet are now at least semi-aware of Steven and Amethyst's low self-esteem, and this came out of it.**

 **-Mandaree1**


End file.
